


Basic Tastes

by MiniNephthys



Category: Fate/stay night (Visual Novel)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-11
Updated: 2011-07-11
Packaged: 2017-10-21 06:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/222123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Issei will eat anything.  Shirou makes comments about this.  January 2010.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Basic Tastes

**  
_Umami._   
**

Issei has a monk's diet - if there's nothing else to be had, he'll eat whatever's in front of him without complaint. He has preferences like any other person, but Shirou has found that there's very few things he actually dislikes.

Occasionally, Shirou wishes that he _would_ dislike something, just so he didn't have to watch him eat it.

"Do you really need that much soy sauce?"

Issei raises an eyebrow. "My father can hardly complain. Soy sauce was introduced into Japan by Buddhist monks, so-"

"That isn't what I meant. You're drowning your food in it," Shirou interrupts.

Issei glances down at his food innocently. "It makes it taste better. Is there a problem?"

"...I give up," Shirou says, and goes back to his meal.

 **  
_Saltiness._   
**

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to play with your food?" Shirou asks half-jokingly.

Issei doesn't look up from the student council paperwork he's filling out, but he takes a moment to scrawl something on a nearby notepad. _Not playing. Multitasking._

That's as good a reason to have a pretzel stick hanging out of your mouth as any. Shirou shrugs, breaks a small piece off the visible end, and pops it into his own mouth. When Issei looks over at him with wide eyes and a slightly red face, he simply answers, "It looked good."

Issei scribbles something nearly illegible and hands it to him, hiding his burning face behind his paperwork.

 _But that's  
you know that I  
you can't just  
isn't that an indirect  
I already licked some of the salt off of that end._

"Wow, you actually can stammer in writing. I'm impressed."

 **  
_Sourness._   
**

"You brought back candy?" Issei peers into the open suitcase. "What kind?"

"Whatever was there that we didn't have... which was practically everything, so I had to limit it to what I could afford," Shirou explains. "Fuji-nee wanted to go to America just to try out the food, and snacks are portable and foreign."

"You really do spoil her too much." Issei pulls out a package of sour candy and tries one. "Y-you're right, it is foreign. ...The taste isn't disagreeable, however."

"If I spoil her too much, what does that say about you?"

Issei goes paler at his words than at the candy's flavor. "I-I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed-! Please forgive me for my rudeness, I should have asked permission for-"

Shirou chuckles. "It's all right. Have as much as you want; it'll all be gone once Fuji-nee gets into it, anyway."

 **  
_Sweetness._   
**

"I hardly ever receive time off during New Year's, Emiya, so you're going to appreciate this whether you like it or not," Issei informs him matter-of-factly.

"I don't mind spending the festival with you," Shirou replies, picking his words carefully. He knows that determined look in Issei's eyes, and it is something to be feared. "And I understand how difficult it is for a monk to go out and enjoy New Year's. ...But you really don't have to literally drag me along."

"If you are being dragged, it's only because you aren't walking fast enough. Now, come! The festivities only last for so long, and there is so much to enjoy-" Issei's face lights up as he spots a booth. "Candy apples! We, we can afford to have some, can't we? I have time, but unfortunately not much money to spend..."

"I'll buy them for you, relax." Shirou smiles at him, and can't tell whether Issei's pulling him toward him to get them to the food or to hug him. Probably both.

 **  
_Bitterness._   
**

Shirou's face is a bright shade of red. "Y-you really don't have to do that, you know."

Issei blinks at him innocently, which doesn't really work considering the circumstances. "This again? I've told you already that it brings me pleasure to bring you pleasure, and if we're both enjoying ourselves-"

"Not that. That was... amazing." Shirou coughs, feels himself blush even more, and continues on. "After that. You don't have to s-swallow, I know it isn't very good and I can clean it up, so don't feel obligated-"

"Actually, I kind of enjoy it."

"...What?"

Issei flushes a little under Shirou's stare. "Bitter foods are often the best for you - you should drink enough tea to know this. It's something of an acquired taste, but to those who appreciate bitterness, it isn't _bad_. And, and your expression when I do so would make anything worth it. B-but if it makes you uncomfortable I can stop-"

Shirou kisses him again before he can think about it. "No, it's fine. I'd have to be crazy to mind you doing that." Then he makes a face. "Definitely an acquired taste, though. Remind me not to kiss you before you wash your mouth out."

Issei laughs. "I'll keep that in mind."


End file.
